Top 10 Ways to Bring more Character into your Home

Since our homes are our sanctuaries, we understandably want them to be a place where we feel comfortable and that expresses our unique taste and personality. However, since many houses are built all to the same specifications these days, making your house look and feel like it has its own character can be a challenge. Here are 10 ways to bring some character to your home.

Focus on the Trimmings

More accurately, focus on trim. Most cookie-cutter modern houses are pretty flat and basic. Add a little character by including elegant crown molding, casing with back bands around doorways, and baseboard molding. It’s a small change, but it makes a huge difference, and adds a more refined quality to even the simplest room.

Unique Painting or Photograph

Instead of going with a department store mass-produced wall hanging, why not go for something a little more original? Choosing a really unique photo print or painting is a great way to add a little more character in a subtle way. What’s more, you can choose wall art to suit the theme of any given room show your taste and portray a one-of-a-kind atmosphere. You can simply take a look at some online galleries – Lumas has a variety of categories, for example – and choose the perfect fit.

Add a Little Design

If you want a little je ne sais quoi, try implemented a wallpaper accent wall. No need to go 70’s wallpaper crazy, unless that’s you’re thing, but a really intriguing pattern on a single wall can really add some attitude to a room.

Go for a Bold Color Pallet

Sometimes a pop of color is all you need to get that attention-grabbing effect. This can reflect your style really well, from calming pastels, to bright, vibrant shades. Feel free to go wherever the color wheel may lead you.

Create a Focal Point Room

Sometimes giving one room in particular a little extra love can say a lot about you. Because I personally love to eat, that room is my kitchen. You don’t need to be a celebrity chef to have a gorgeous kitchen. Design it with style and functionality and keep colorful food (like limes and lemons) and spices out in the open to act as design accents. Because this is a room of utility instead of relaxation also gives an added element of life to the character of the house.

Bring it to Life

Adding a little plant life can really go a long way. Flowers on tables, potted plants on windowsills, a palm standing in the corner; there are a lot of ways that plants can give a space a certain unique vibe as well as reflecting your own original taste. Plus they’re pretty. Don’t forget to water as needed!

A little DIY TLC

There is perhaps nothing that adds unique character to a home more than DIY handmade projects. Instead of going with traditional storage and decorations, spend some time online coming up with ideas and try your hand at some of them yourself. Because you just can’t buy these things in the store, you are sure to have most guests admiring these small elements.

Out in the Open

Instead of hiding everything all neatly tucked away, embrace an open shelving concept and let it all be out on display. Good for any room, but especially kitchens and bathrooms, this approach requires you to think more carefully about how things are stored, but they give your home a distinctive lived in feeling that is warm instead of cold and sanitized.

Get Creative with Lighting

Use light to your advantage, and create accent lighting on particular pieces or areas that you want to command attention. But beyond just the lighting, why not create unique light fixtures themselves, like these wine bottle light fixtures. The lighting can then become a decorative focal point, and another unique element that you simply cannot find in stores.

Mix it Up

Mix up door handles and other hardware throughout your house. You can even switch up the hardware in the kitchen to really add some intrigue. Any of the little elements that can stand out as unique instead of being uniform is a great way to build home character.